If ChatGPT Were Human, These Are the Indian Cities It Would Visit

There are so many tricks that people around the world are doing with ChatGPT. Some people want it to become a life coach for the, while some want it to help them with job interviews. I decided to ask a fun question, which is a little bit fantasy- “Which Indian cities would you visit if you were a human and why?”

You would think that the machine would reply with the same old tourist information or a list of every big Indian city by default. But what does ChatGPT reply to me? It goes deeper than I thought.  The first three choices - Varanasi, Jaipur and Kolkata - are so deep, emotional, and well-known that they sound more like a person who has travelled a lot than a bot.

Varanasi- Where Life and Death Coexist

ChatGPT chose Varanasi as the first choice. The reason? Because the AI believes witnessing life and death coexist so openly is deeply humbling. This answer deserves a pause and can make you wonder if AI can also feel like us. 

Jaipur- Regal history 

Next on the list was Jaipur in Rajasthan, and the AI would not just visit the city for its famous delicacies but also for the regal past it has. It also wants to explore the architectural marvels of the city like Hawa Mahal and Amber Fort. 

Mumbai- Chaos and glamour

ChatGPT chose Mumbai to explore what it called the city “raw, glamorous and gritty.”  It talked about the rush of local trains, the chaos and the sea winds, and Bollywood. If it had feet, it would be walking around the city to explore what it calls as the “Pulse of India.”

Kolkata- Home of Tagore

ChatGPT also picked Kolkata- the city that pulls you in with conversation and keeps you there with culture. The AI called the city “cultural capital” and home of Tagore, Satyajit Ray and Durga Puja.  And yes, tram ride was also on the list.  You can just envision it sitting on College Street and looking through ancient books.

Shillong and Pondicherry were also on the bucket list- destinations you may not find on regular travel websites or at least expect from an AI bot to visit if it becomes a human someday. When AI claims it isn't, you have to wonder how much it is. The tone of these replies, not just the cities, is what makes it stand out.  There was no sterile Wikipedia voice or checklist enthusiasm.  It seemed like someone wanted to be there and see everything. It felt like it was made by a person. This is just one more example of how conversational AI not only provide us information, but it's also learning how we talk about places, how we make sense of journeys, and how we dream about cities. 

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